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The Man Without A Country 



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ENTERTAINMENTS 

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THE WORLD'S CHRONICLE, 

542 S. DEARBORN ST., 

CHICAGO. ILL. 




"The Man Without A Country" 



By Edward Everett Hale 
Dramatized by the Van Vlissingen School, Chicago, 111. 

Lillian Farnum, Head Assistant and member of the Betsy Ross camp. 
Daughters of Veterans. 

Jennie Waalkes, Eighth Grade, chairman of the committee on Civics, 
Roseland Woman's club. 

George A. Brennan, Principal, Historian Sons of the Illinois Society 
Sons of the American Revolution. 

^ This drama was first presented at the graduation exercises of the Van 
Vlissingen School, Chicago, January 27, 1916, and was received with intense 
enthusiasm by the large audience. 

On Washington's Birthday it was repeated at Palmer Park with nearly 
all the patriotic societies of the city present, including those from the 
societies of Colonial Wars to the United Spanish War Veterans, under 
whose auspices the meeting was held. Probably no local gathering ever 
brought out a larger array of generals and other military celebrities. The 
audience was wildly enthusiastic, and asked that this Patriotic Play be 
published and put upon the market as soon as possible, its manifest influ- 
ence for good being so markedly evidenced. 



Copyright, 1916, by The Little Chronicle Company, Chicago, 111. 
Price 15 cents; ten copies, $1.00, carriage paid. 



Published by The World's Chronicle, 
542 S. Dearborn St., Chicago, 111. 



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©C1.0 4 52:3 2 

OCT -7 1916 



* The Man Without A Country '' 

DRAMATIZATION BY THE FEBRUARY, 1916, CLASS OF 
THE VAN VLISSINGEN SCHOOL, CHICAGO 



Suggestions — 

Play raaj' readily be adapted to a large or a 
small class. Those who are not active par- 
ticipants may take part in the chorus, 

Stage setting may be very simple. If pos- 
sible have an ingenious boy arrange' a pair of 
sails at rear of stage, which may be raised or 
lowered at command of the captain. 

If there be no curtain have sailors shift 
scenes. 

Time of presentation about one hour. 

Four general rehearsals needed. 
Costumes — 

Officers' costumes can be modeled after 
Butterick pattern No. 6235. 

Material, tan cambric for knee trousers, vest, 
and cuffs, collar and buttons for the coat. 
Blue cambric for coat. 

Lace ruffles at throat and wrist. 

Knee buckles of tin, or cardboard covered 
with silver paper, at knees and on slippers. 

Philip Nolan's suit like the other officers' 
suits except that the buttons are to be re- 
moved after the court scene, as he is called 
"Plain buttons" in the story. Trimming v.'ill 



be of red, as he was an artillery officer. 

The captain should have a uniform made 
entirely of dark blue cambric. He should 
wear a cap. 

The colonial costumes of Mrs. Graff and 
her companions are made of any inexpensive 
flowered material, after Butterick pattern No. 
6169. 

Sailors' suits made as simply as possible, 
consisting of blouse and trousers. 
DRAMATIS PERSONAE— 

Philip Nolan. 

Judge. 

Captain. 

Marshal. 

Bailiff. 

Messenger. 

Mrs. Graff. 

Danforth. 

First Speaker. 

Second Speaker. 

Ladies, Officers, Marines. 
Chorus — "A Vow." 

(Modern Music Series; Second Book, page 
159.) 



ACT I 

First Speaker: "The Man Without a Coun- 
try" was written by Edward Everett Hale in 
1863 to show what it means to be without a 
country. 

It was written in the darkest period of the 
Civil War. 

Philip Nolan was a fine young officer in the 
Legion of the West, the name given to the 
western division of our army. There he met 
Aaron Burr in 1805. Burr fascinated poor 
Nolan, and before long had him turn traitor 
to the United States. He was tried at Fort 
Adams, was found guilty, and when asked 
whether he had anything to say for himself, 
cursed the LTnited States, and wished he might 
never hear her name again. 
Court Scene — 

Judge seated at table, with quill pen. papers, 
and law books. Officers seated at left, mar- 
shal standing at his right, and bailiff with 
gun guarding the door. 

Judge: _ Officers, you have heard the testi- 
mony in" this case. What is your opinion 
thereof? 

First Officer (rising): I believe him guilty! 

Second Officer (rising): His wish should be 
granted. He should never hear of nor see the 
United States again. 



Judge: Are you all agreed? 

First Speaker: We are! 

Judge (turning to marshal): Mr. Marshal, 
bring the prisoner in! 

(Marshal passes order on to bailiff, who 
leaves room and returns with prisoner.) 

Judge: Prisoner, hear the sentence of the 
court! The court decides, subject to the ap- 
proval of the President, that you never hear 
the name of the United States again. 

(Nolan laughs mockingly.)- 

Judge: Disarm the prisoner. 

(Marshal removes Nolan's sword and places 
it on the table.) 

Judge (turning to marshal) : Mr. Marshal, 
take the prisoner to Orleans in an armed boat, 
and deliver him to the naval commander there. 

Marshal (to bailiff) : Take the prisoner into 
the outer room until further orders. 

Judge: Mr. Marshal, see that no one men- 
tions the United States to the prisoner. Mr. 
Marshal, make . my respects to Lieutenant 
Mitchell at Orleans, and request iiim to order 
that no one shall mention the United States 
to the prisoner while he is on board ship. 
You will receive your written orders from the 
officer on duty here this evening. The Court is 
adjourned without day. 

(All leave the stage except the judge, who 
remains writing for a few moments.) 



ACT II 

Scene on Shipboard 
Filter Captain and sailors. 
Captain: Set the sails! Hoist the flag! 
SaUors: Ay, ay, sir! Yeo ho! (Business 
of pulling ropes while officer sings his calls.) 
(Captain peers through spy glass. Mes- 
senger enters with sealed letter. Salutes Cap-^ 
tain and delivers letter. Exit messenger.) 

Captain (opening letter and reading): Sir: 
You will receive from Lieutenant Neale the 
person of Philip Nolan, late a lieutenant in 
the United States Army. 

This person on his trial by court-martial 

expressed, with an oath, the wish that he 

might "never hear of the United States again." 

The Court sentenced him to liave his wish 

fulfilled. 

For the present, the execution of the order 
s intrusted by the President to chis Depart- 
ment. 

You will take the prisoner on board your 
ship, and keep him there, with such precau- 
tions as shall prevent his escape. 

You will provide him with such quarters, 
rations, and clothing as would be proper for 
an officer of his late rank, if he were a pas- 
senger on your vessel on the business of his 
Government. 

The gentlemen on board will make any ar- 
rangements agreeable to themselves regarding 
his society. He is to be exposed to no indig- 
nity of any kind, nor is he ever unnecessarily 
to be reminded that he is a prisoner. 

But under no circumstances is he ever to 
hear of his country or to see any information 
regarding it; and you will especially caution 
all the officers under your command to take 
care that, in the various indulgences which 
may be granted, this rule, in which his pun- 
ishment is involved, shall not be broken. 

It is the intention of the Government that 
he shall never again see the country which 
he has disowned. Before the end of your 
cruise you will receive orders which will give 
effect to this intention. 

Respectfully yours, 

W. SOUTHARD, 
For the Secretary of the Navy. 
ACT III _ 

Second Speaker: The boat on which Nolan 
was staying was having a duel with the Eng- 
lish. A round shot from the enemy entered 
the port's square and knocked down the officer 
of the gun and almost every man of the gun's 
crew. As the men who were not killed picked 
themselves up and as the surgeon's people 
were carrying off the bodies, there appeared 
Nolan in his shirt sleeves and showed the 
men an easier and quicker way in which to 
handle heavy shot. When the officer came 
up, Nolan touched his hat and said, "I am 
showing them how we do in the artillery, sir." 
The officer thanked Nolan and said, "I will 
never forget this day." 

Scene — Presentation of Sword 
(Captain, marshal, and several officers on 
board ship.) 

Captain: Where is Mr. Nolan? Ask Mr. 
Nolan to come here. (Exit marshal and re- 



turns with Mr. Nolan.) 

Captain: Mr. Nolan, we are all very grate- 
ful to you today; you are one of us today; you 
will be named in the despatches. 

(Captain takes ofif his sword and puts it on 
Nolan.) 

Mr. Nolan: I appreciate this honor. 

(Officers arrange themselves in groups for 
the next act.) 

ACT IV 

Scene 1 

Dialogue with Mrs. Graff 

(Mrs. Graff and her companions enter to 
the music of the Minuet. All arrange them- 
selves in groups, with Mrs. Graff and Mr. 
Nolan near the center of the stage.) 

Nolan: You see, I have not forgotten you. 
Miss Rutledge. 

Mrs. Graff: I am no longer Miss Rutledge. 
Mr. Nolan, I am Mrs. Graff. I have been 
traveling a great deal since you saw me last. 
It is just a few days since 1 arrived in this 
port. 

Nolan: Have you enjoyed your travels, Mrs. 
Graff? 

Mrs. Graff: Yes indeed! I never in all my 
life thought there were so many wonderful 
things as I saw in Europe this summer. 

Nolan: I suppose the Old World contains 
many wonders which are not surpassed in 
any other place. Which did you find the most 
wonderful, Mrs. Graff? 

Mrs. Graff: Italy and France contain many 
wonderful works of men, but Switzerland has 
more natural beauties, I think. 

Nolan: They certainly must be very won- 
derful, but I think there is no place which to 
my eyes would be more beautiful to view than 
Old Fort Adams. Home is a wonderful place, 
Mrs. Graff. By the way, have you heard any- 
thing from home lately? 

Mrs. Graff: Home! Mr. Nolan! I thought 
you were the man who never wished to hear 
from home again. 

(Ladies retire to the music of the Minuet.) 
Scene 2 

Nolan reading "The Lay of the Last Min- 
strel." 

Nolan and officers on board ship engaged in 
various pastimes; some playing checkers, 
others reading or writing. The captain 
enters.) 

Captain: Here is a new book, bovs, to help 
while away the time. (Gives book to First 
Officer.) 

First Officer reads: 
The harp's wild notes, though hush'd the song. 
The mimic march of death prolong; 
N^ow seems it far, and now a-near. 
Now meets, and now eludes the ear; 
Now seems some mountain side to sweep, 
Now faintly dies in valley deep. 

Second Officer reads; 
After due pause, they bade him tell 
Why he. who touched the harp so well, 
Should thus, with ill-rewarded toil. 
Wander a poor and thankless soil. 
When the more generous Southern Land 
Would well requite his skilful hand. 

Now, Nolan, it is your turn. 



THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY 



OMISSION 



At the close of Act IV, Scene 3: 

(Exit, Sailor.) 

(Nolan seated in a dejected manner with his 
head in his hands while chorus sings ''Home, 
Sweet Home," very softly.) 



Nolan (takes a drink of water) reads 
brokenly: 

The Aged Harper, howsoe'er 
His only friend, his harp, was dear 
Liked not to hear it rank'd so high 
Above Iiis flowing poesy: 
Breathes there the man with soul so dead, 
Who never to himself hath said. 
This is my own, my native land! 
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned, 
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd. 
From wandering on a foreign strand! 
li such there breathe, go, mark him well; 
For him no Minstrel raptures swell; 
High though his titles, proud his name. 
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; 
Despite those titles, power, and pelf, 
The wretch, concentred all in self, 

(Nolan chokes and throws away the book.) 

Scene 3 
Story of the Slaves. (Nolan and a sailor 
seated.) 

Nolan: Have you ever heard of that little 
incident in the south Atlantic when we over- 
hauled a dirty little slave schooner? 
Sailor: No, I have not, sir. 
Nolan: It was a sight I never v.-ish to see 
again. 

Sailor: What happened? Were you out on 
a voyage with the aim of suppressing the. in- 
domitable slave trade, sir? 

Nolan: Yes, we were, and the strangest 
part of it was that we had been lefti undis- 
turbed by those never-ceasing Portuguese 
smugglers, a thing which rarely happened in 
those days. When we saw our prey, we 
chased it and finally caught it. Then a boat 
with some men and an oiificer were sent to 
take charge of this promoter of slavery. 
When the boat arrived the officer in charge 
immediately set his men at work transferring 
the' hand and ankle cuffs from the negroes 
to the outwitted smugglers, but he soon found 
that he was to have a more difficult job with 
the negroes than he had expected. The 
negroes swarmed about as hornets disturbed 
from their nests and sent up some of the most 
mournful cries I ever heard. 
Sailor: What was done about it? 
Nolan: Vaughan tried several means of quiet- 
ing them, but all in vain. First he gave them 
rum, then knocked the large leader down 
twice and finally talked Choctaw to them, 
which they understood no more than English. 
Sailor: Weren't they in an awful predica- 
ment with negroes on their hands who could 
not be made to understand the language of 
their new friends? 

Nolan: One would think so, but Vaughan 
hoped there might be someone on board the 
battleship who could speak Portuguese. Ac- 
cordingly, he dispatched a message to the 
battleship asking for an interpreter. Then he 
sat on a barrel awaiting results while the 
unlucky smugglers were bemoaning their fate 
in irons. 

Sailor: That served those treacherous Por- 
tuguese smugglers right, sir. Excuse me, sir, 
for interrupting. 

Nolan: Well, as you might have guessed, 
it fell to my lot to go to the slave schooner 



to act as an mterpreter. Vaughan commanded 
his men to bring before me two fine looking 
giant Kroomen who had worked for the Por- 
tuguese on the coast of Fernando Po. Then 
he told me to tell the negroes that they were 
free, and I did so. They showed their appre- 
ciation strangely, as many ignorant natives of 
Africa do. They gave a, yell of delight, 
clmchcd their fists, leaped, and danced, and 
kissed my feet. Then Vaughan, well pleased, 
told me to tell them he would take them to 
Cape Palmas. This did not suit us so well, 
because Cape Palmas was as far from the 
home of most of them as Rio De Janeiro is 
from New Orleans. Then Vaughan, seeing 
their displeasure, told me to tell them he 
would take them to the Mountains of the 
Moon if they wished to go there. They should 
go home. At this they rejoiced, but I could 
stand it no longer and left. 

(Nolan pauses. They rise and Nolan puts 
his hand on the sailor's shoulder and says:) 
Youngster, let that show you what it is to be 
without a family, without a home, and without 
a country. And if you are ever tempted to 
say a word or do a thing that shall put a bar 
between you and your family, your home, and 
your country, pray God in his mercy to take 
you that instant home to his own heaven. 
Stick by your family, boy; forget you have a 
self, while you do everything for them. Think 
of our home, boy; write and send, and talk 
about it. Let it be nearer and nearer to your 
thought, the farther you have to travel from 
it; and rush back to it when you are free, as 
that poor black slave is doing now. And for 
your country, boy, and for that flag (pointing 
to the ship), never dream a dream but of serv- 
ing her as she bids you, though the service 
carry you through a thousand hells. No mat- 
ter what happens to you, no matter who flat- 
ters j'ou or who abuses you, never look at 
another flag, never let a night pass but you 
pray God to bless that flag. Remember, boy, 
that behind all these men you have to do with, 
behind officers and government, and people 
even, there is the Country Herself, your Coun- 
try, and that you belong to Her as you belong 
to your own mother. Stand by Her, boy, as 
you would stand by your mother, if those 
devils there had got hold of her today! 
Sailor: I will, sir. 

Nolan: O, if anybody had said so to me 
\\'hen I was your age! 

ACT V 
Scene 1. Death Scene. 

(Nolan's stateroom. A large outline map 
of the United States on the wall partially filled 
in, to be completed by Danforth as he talks 
to Nolan. Nolan lying on a cot. Danforth 
enters.) 

Nolan: O Danforth, I know I am dying. I 
cannot get home. Surely, you will tell me 
something now^Stop! Stop! Do not speak 
till I say what I am sure you know, that there 
is not in this ship, that there is not in .A.mer- 
ica — God bless her! — a more loyal man than 
I. There cannot be a man who loves the old 
flag as I do, or prays for it as I do, or hopes 
for it as I do. There are thirty-four stars in 



it now, Danforth, I thank God for that, though 
I do not know what their names are. There 
has never been one taken away; I thank God 
for that. I know by that that there has never 
been any successful Burr. O Danforth, Dan- 
forth, how like a wretched night's dream a 
boy's idea of personal fame or of separate 
sovereignty seems, when one looks back on 
it after such a life as mine! But tell me — 
tell me something — tell me everything, Dan- 
forth, before I die! 

Danforth: Mr. Nolan, I will tell you every- 
thing you ask about. Only, where shall I 
begin? i 

Nolan: God bless you! Tell me their 
names. The last I know is Ohio. My father 
lived in Kentucky. But I have guessed Mich- 
igan and Indiana and Mississippi — that was 
where Fort Adams is — they make twenty. 
But where are your other fourteen? You 
have not cut up any of the old ones, T hope. 

Danforth: Well, as you know, Ohio was 
admitted in 1803; then came Louisiana and 
Mississippi, as you guessed. And after that, 
Oregon, California, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, 
Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, 
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Texas. 

Nolan: Why, is Texas in the Union? And 
Oregon and California also? That is the place 
where my cousin died and is buried. Then I 
was just going to ask about the Chesapeake; 
was Barron ever punished for surrendering? 

Danforth: No, he was not. When you look 
back, those were trying days for this now 
glorious union. 

Nolan: Yes they were. Did Burr ever try 
again? (Pause. Gritting of teeth.) God for- 
give me, for I am sure I forgive him. What 
happened in the old war with England? I 
say, that was a great battle the day we took 
the Alert in eight minutes. Dear old David 
Porter certainly did show his colors that day. 
Have we had any other war since then? 

Danforth: Yes, we had a war with Mexico. 
Scott marched clear over the country, while 
Taylor occupied the disputed territory. 

Nolan: What was the cause? 

Danforth: I forgot to tell you. Texas was 
annexed to the United States in 1845. Mexico 
claimed part of Texas. The United States 
substantiated the claim of Texas. Taylor was 
immediately sent to occupy the disputed terri- 
tory, but was not allowed to occupy it peace- 
fully. General Scott was commissioned to 
invade and subdue the proud Mexicans. 

Nolan: Did the army show its colors? 

Danforth: Yes, not a battle was lost. Finally 
the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo settled the 
war and Mexico ceded the disputed Texas ter- 
ritory, New Mexico, and California. 

Nolan: Has that part of the country ad- 
vanced under American rule? 

Danforth: Yes, indeed! Most of that terri- 
tory had enough population to be admitted as 
a state. 

Nolan: Who is in command of the Legion 
of the West? 



Danforth: A gallant young officer named 
Grant, who has just established his headquar- 
ters at Vicksburg. 

Nolan: Where is Vicksburg? I have never 
heard of it. 

Danforth (going to map) : It is about 100 
miles above Fort Adams. Fort Adams must 
be in ruins now. 

Nolan: It must be at old Vick's plantation 
at Walnut Hills. Well, that is a change. Are 
large new forts replacing the old ones? 

Danforth: Yes. 

Nolan: Why is that? Has the population 
increased so immensely? 

Danforth: Yes, at present there are about 
34,000,000 people in the United States. After 
the great war in Europe the emigrants went 
to the land of peace, America. 

Nolan: Who is president of the United 
States at present? 

Danforth: Abraham Lincoln. Honest old 
Abe. 

Nolan: Is honest Abe a son of Gen. Ben. 
Lincoln? I met Gen. Lincoln at an Indian 
treaty once. 

Danforth: No, he is not. He has worked 
up from the ranks. He is a Kentuckian like 
yourself. 

Nolan: Good for him. As I have brooded 
and wondered I saw that our only danger was 
in keeping those regular successions in the 
first families. (Pause.) 

Nolan: Bring in the Presbyterian Book of 
Public Prayer. 

(Danforth reads and Nolan repeats after 
him.)i 

Danforth (reading) : For ourselves and our 
country, O gracious God. we thank Thee, 
that, notwithstanding our manifold trans- 
gressions of Thy holy laws. Thou hast con- 
tinued to us Thy marvelous kindness. Most 
heartily we beseech Thee with Thy favor to 
behold and bless Thy servant, the President 
of the United States, and all others in au- 
thority. 

Nolan: I have repeated those prayers night 
and morning, it is now fifty-five years. I will 
now go to sleep. Look in my Bible, Danforth, 
when I am gone. 

Scene 2 

Nolan's stateroom. Enter Danforth. Steps 
to the table. Opens the Bible. Finds the slip 
of paper and reads: 

Danforth: They desire a country, even a 
heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to 
be called their God: for He hath prepared for 
them a city. Bury me in the sea; it has been 
my home and I love it. But will not someone 
set up a stone for my memory at Fort Adams 
or at Orleans, that my disgrace may not be 
more than I ought to bear? Say on it: In 
Memory of Philip Nolan, Lieutenant in the 
Army of the United States. He loved his 
country as no other man has loved her; but 
no man deserved less at her hands. 

Chorus — "Anchored" (Watson). 



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